One of a series of stories about Sam and his family and friends. In this one his friend Maria is being difficult, the reason being that her parents are arguing all the time: 'They won't stop even when I ask them to.' As the story is told from Sam's point of view, he is the one who asks questions of his parents and discovers that sometimes it can be better for parents to live apart. He is reassured that his parents want to stay friends and live together, but he also sees that Maria adjusts to her parents' separation and even learns to enjoy special times with her dad. Maria's family appears to be Middle Eastern in origin in the lively and helpful pictures. There is an index, a basic glossary (with illustrations) and a short list of websites.